BlackBerry Bold 9900
Phone Scoop Review
Aug 25, 2011 by Eric M. Zeman
T-Mobile's version of the BlackBerry Bold 9900 has a few significant advantages over the Bold 9930 being sold by Verizon Wireless. Phone Scoop reveals what they are. read review ›
User Reviews
Average Ratings
RIM did it perfect on this one.
First impression on this phone is that it is beautiful. But in this phone for the first time in a while the beauty is not only skin deep. All the operations on this phone are smooth and precise, the frustration with the touch screen inaccuracies and lagginess has been all but done away with. The keyboard is smooth and your fingers find the keys easily. I find myself making little to no mistakes when typing (as opposed to a full touchscreen phone i.e. the iPhone). The few mistakes that I do make on this work of art is quickly corrected by the fantastic auto-correct systems. Blackberry OS7 is also a masterpiece on this phone, the icons are beautiful and the performance as a whole has been improved to the point where I feel no lag when opening/closing an app or running multiple apps at once. Overall, this phone is amazing, and the one for me for quite some time.
PROS:
It's beautiful
it's fast
the keyboard is better than any physical keyboard I have used thus far.
The new OS works seamlessly
New 4G HSPA+ speeds make this thing a rocket online
Well built
CONS:
The same as the review below me.
I heard the DosEquis guy uses the 9900
RIM did everything right here. They took the best features out of each and every prior Blackberry and packed it into this gorgeous device that screams elegance. The perfect device for those of us concerned with a reliable, all around solid communication device...and less with the nonsense.
PROS
-solid, all premium materials
-big, perfectly designed keyboard
-extremely responsive touchscreen
-bright, crisp, high resolution screen
-HSPA+ 4G data speeds are quick on at&t
-HTML web browser is fast and fluid
-lightning fast Snapdragon processor, no lag
CONS
-doesn't have an apple logo on it so my hipster friends at Starbucks won't think I'm cool anymore.
Blackberry's little miracle
Prior to purchasing my 9900 I had the 9000, 9300, 9700/9780 and 9800 and might I say, Blackberry has really stepped it up. The keys on the 9900 are now perfect for typing; it was a good move by ging back to the design of the 9000. I don't know how I was using the tiny keypad of the previous Bold. The touch sceen is amazing; its' response is faster than than that of the 9800 and the resolution make this phone comparable to the iphone. Being able to lock th screen while on a call was also a step up from the 9800, which didn't have that option. This is a solid phone and I really see myself holding onto this one for a while. No major disappointments thus far.
pros:
battery life
size of phone/key pad
resolution
very sophisticated looking phone
touch screen response
a lot of thought was put into the baterry door
cons:
some apps that were supported by 6OS are no longer suppoted on 7OS, which sucks. Hopefully an update will be available at some point to fix that issue.
New Blackberry 9900
I'm a long-time Blackberry fan, but recently I've been going back and forth between the 9700 and the iphone. No longer. The 9900 is terrific. Keyboard is the best RIM has ever made. Screen is sharp. Touchscreen features work fast and perfectly. It has the look and feel of quality. It isn't a 4+ inch screen touch-phone as in vogue now, but it a terrific piece of equipment and works very well.
BB 9900 - A Disappointing Unit
I've been a loyal blackberry user since 2007. Got the BB 9900 and ran it through its paces. I own the 9900 and had high hopes for it...
The most serious problems with this new 9900 handset are:
1. Extremely limited battery life that is caused by
a. GPS burns battery continuously and must be turned off, unless the unit is attached to a charger
b. 4G must be turned off when not surfing, but OS7 has no 3G option. The options are either 2G (EDGE) or 2G-3G/4G. If 4G is turned off, you are reduced toe 2G (EDGE) which means that the 9900 cannot be used to surf (use maps or email) while talking on the phone.
2. Blackberry Protect software requires the user to have a SIM inserted with a data plan. (Sounds like a no brainer, unless you arrive in a foreign country and don't want to activate a data plan...) If another SIM is inserted (it is a quad-band GSM phone that is a good international cell) Blackberry Protect
a. NO WIFI ACCESS WITHOUT A CONNECTED NETWORK DATA SIGNAL: Blackberry Protect requires the user to authenticate using his/her Blackberry ID. However, WiFi is not activated unless Blackberry protect can verify the Blackberry ID through a cellular network connection.
b. If the user swaps the SIM in an unlocked Blackberry 9900 unit, even with a SIM with a Data plan, Blackberry Protect wipes the handset. There is no user configurable setting to determine how Blackberry Protect should behave, even on a private 9900 that is not connected to a corporate network (BES)
Overall, the OS7 software is the real problem with this unit. Until RIM fixes the software, I recommend the BB 9700/9780 or an android/iPhone.
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Awesome productivity machine
Carrier: AT&T
Device is a step in the right direction for people who want to get things done.
Touch screen, keyboard and track pad... Makes more productive.
Had the 9810 prior and misses the larger screen. The keyboard and the much faster processor makes up for that.
I love my device. Have had it for over two years. Have been testing the Q10 and still cannot give up my 9900 because of the notes and task outlook sync that is superior to any other device on any other platform.
Nice Phone. 1 Thing Sorely Needed, Though
The 9900 has plenty to it that is impressive. If you love and/or need a very responsive, ergonomic keyboard for emails or texting, this one is their best ever. It's truly an amazing keyboard. I also really enjoy the "no lag" reality due to the improved processor! The battery life is pretty decent (for today's power hungry screens and processors). A final "like" that I have, is that their new browser is sooo much faster! The one thing that annoys me about my 9900 is that, relatively speaking, the screen is just too small by today's standard. I surf the web on my BB, a lot, and I read the Bible on it a lot, too. If you surf & read a lot, then today's bigger screens exist for a user like you. When I put emoticons in my text messages, or get them from others texting me, you lose their feel because you need a magnifying glass to see them. If the size of the screen is not of matter to you, then this device is a true winner!
Best BB on the market
I just got my phone about a week ago from AT&T. I purchased an extra battery, just in case I needed it and a OEM BB leather case. I noticed that it does use the battery quicker than the Torch 9810 I had. I have no complaints with this phone, I like the touchscreen and qwerty keyboard, I catch myself using the touch and qwerty. The OS 7 is very fast, even in a 3G coverage area. I have excellant coverage just about everywhere I go. Thats about it, BB done a great job on this phone and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a Blackberry.
BEST PHONE EVER!
PRO:I personally am in love with this phone. It runs very smooth. It's a 4g device, so it runs very fast. The touch screen is the best I've seen yet. The clarity on the screen is even better then the "amoled" screen Samsung is currently using. Which was rated #1 for years. I've had the Iphone, and android. Blackberry surpassed both BY FAR with the new Bold 9900. I thought blackberry had fallen but it looks like they're back in the game and ready to win.
CONS: Doesn't have the apple logo. There for it's not the newest "trend" because of course "if you don't have an iphone, you don't have an iphone."
Best blackberry to date!
Having Android and using all the iphones (including new 4s) Blackberry has finally stepped up!
Pros: full keyboard, touch screen is very responsive, nice camera, great battery life, hspa+ is quick on ATT!
Cons: wish for 8mp camera but 5 is nice, APPS! blackberry needs more apps. but it is a business phone so it does what it needs too. blackberry sells itself!
